Fool's Gold [Jaylor Fanfiction]

Strange Bedfellows

Five Days Later
June 22nd; 2023
Joe Alwyn's Point of View
I've started to bring some stuff with me to the studio so I have something to do besides scroll on my phone for two hours while I wait for Taylor to show up. Right now I'm reading a book because it makes me feel like I'm doing something productive with my life. Books also heavily influence my music so reading is a necessity. I had been working more on the song that I shared with Taylor but I desperately need her help as much as I hate admitting it. Taylor and I have two different goals. She needs an album and I need money. She can't do the album without me and I can't do it without her so somehow we are going to need to figure out how to work together. Especially with how little time we actually have. At this rate, we will never finish the album on time.

"Alwyn, how are you doing?" Taylor makes her grand entrance wearing a floral romper and heels. Black sunglasses again. I never know if they're a fashion statement or so people don't know she's high.

"Do you actually care?"

"Not really." She drops all her stuff on the floor and flings her sunglasses on the couch because screw being neat.

"Was starting to think you weren't going to show up."

"Back off. I caught a cold and I feel like shit. I'm only here because I have to be." It definitely isn't a cold. I don't know what she has but I don't think she's been sober long enough to know what it's like to be sick anymore. I decide to keep my distance, not wanting to catch whatever the hell she has.

"You're only here every day because you have to be."

"Touché."

"Are we actually going to do something today? Because I'm tired of coming here and wasting my time."

"Actually, I had a couple of ideas." She says shamefully. I'm not sure where the shame is coming from but I can hear it in her voice and the quietness in her cords.

"Taylor? Having an idea? Potentially sober?"

"I haven't had any oxy in a couple of days." She does a small sniffle before sneezing. It's extremely high-pitched.

"Oh my god that was adorable."

"Shut up! I have a cold." She reminds me then takes a tissue from her bag and wipes her nose.

"That sounds like a you problem."

Taylor groans as she rolls her eyes. "Well, I write about my personal life and nothing has happened to me recently besides taking a bunch of drugs. So, I'm thinking we write about fictional relationships and call the album Folklore."

I smile mostly in relief. "There's the musical genius I know!"

"You really like it? I mean, um, yeah. I know, I'm talented like that." She tries to recover but she made it clear she cares about what I think about her work.

"I love it but if we're going to work on the album, we need to establish some ground rules."

"What type of rules?"

"You need to stop getting high in the studio. Every time you get high we end up at a bar or some extravagant club. We don't do anything. I don't care what you do after the session but we need to get work done."

She knows I'm right but doesn't want to acknowledge it so she just stares off until the silence is unbearable. "Fine. No drugs in the studio. But that's a big sacrifice for me so if I'm giving up something I need you to give up something too."

"What is it?"

"Your prejudice. I need you to stop judging me. I'm tired of you making assumptions with your preconceived notions. You know nothing about me."